Commercial Food for Platy Fish
- Flakes. Flakes a convenient food options for most fish. It contains the necessary combination of minerals, vitamins, vegetable matter and proteins for you fish.
- Veggie Pellets. Platy fish require vegetable in their diet. This is why it’s great to have plants in your aquarium, so your fish can graze on the algae that ...
- Freeze-Dried Foods. Freeze-dried foods are a great source of protein and an excellent alternative to live foods, when these aren’t available, or their source isn’t trustworthy.
- Frozen Foods. Frozen foods are also a good option when live foods aren’t available. ...
What fish will live with platys?
The Platy fish is a non-aggressive peaceful fish that will live quite happily with other types of peaceful community fish such as Guppies and Mollies. Platy fish are not only happy to share their tank with other small non-aggressive fish but also with some types of shrimp and snails. But what type of fish should you choose as a tank mate for your Platys? Here are a few options for you to choose from. And also a few things to consider before buying tank mates for your Platy fish. Goldfish ...
How often should you feed platies?
Ultimate Platy Feeding Guide: Algae, Vegetables, Pellets
- What do platy fish eat?
- Do platies eat plants?
- Do platies eat algae?
- How long can platies go without food?
- Are platies top or bottom feeders?
- How often should you feed platy fish?
- What is the best food for platies? ...
- Do platies like flake food?
- How much food should you feed platy fish?
- Do platies eat shrimp?
How long can platy fish live without food?
It is possible for a platy to live without eating for up to two weeks. Therefore, if you leave them without food for a couple of days, they will probably survive. How Often Should You Feed Platy Fry? The fry should be fed. The fish should be fed small amounts of food several times a day, about the same amount as they can consume in three minutes.
What is the best food for baby platys?
- Gently simmer the peas for 1-2 minutes until softened slightly. Or simmer until they are soft enough for your Platys to happily eat.
- Strain off the water. Cool in cold water or allow to cool naturally on a clean plate
- The peas usually sink to the bottom of the tank. ...
How often do you feed a platy fish?
As adults, you'll be able to feed these fish just once a day like most other mature fish, which makes them generally easy to keep happy. In the wild, it's common for a platy to go without food for a day or two, so if you plan on going away overnight and are concerned about them starving, there's no need to be.
How much should I feed my platy?
It's best to feed adult platy fish once per day in the amount that they will consume in less than one minute. Juveniles and platy fry benefit from having 2-3 meals per day to promote growth during development.
Do platys eat goldfish flakes?
Goldfish food includes a higher amount of cereal content vegetable content with protein. But, if you are feeding goldfish food to platys, make sure to select food with minimum cereal content. High cereal content is not good for the platy diet. Always pick goldfish food with an increased range of vegetables and protein.
What do platys like in their tank?
Platy fish prefer water on the alkaline side. Plants should be hardy and able to tolerate similar water conditions. Ideal plants include hornwort, duckweed, and java moss. Create the ideal environment with plants, a gentle filtration system, and clean water with moderate hardness.
How long can platy fish go without food?
Platy fish, contrary to popular belief, may survive for up to two weeks without food if they are otherwise healthy and well-fed. There isn't to worry about if you're only going away for a few days, especially when it comes to feeding.
How long until platies are full grown?
Once they have grown large enough to fend for themselves, you can move the young fish to the community tank with the older fish. Platy reach full size after about four months.
How many platies should be kept together?
At least three to five platies should be kept together. Platy fish are shoaling fish. They may not form a close-knitted group like schooling fish, but they still seek safety and comfort in numbers. A small group of three to five platies will be a great starting point for beginner fishkeepers with limited space.
What is the lifespan of a platy fish?
The typical platy fish lifespan is between three to five years when kept in optimal conditions.
How big do platys get?
The platy (Xiphophorus maculatus) grows to a maximum overall length of 7.0 cm (2.8 in). Sexual dimorphism is slight, the male's caudal fin being more pointed. The anal fin of the male fish has evolved into a gonopodium, a stick-shaped organ used for reproduction.
How do I know if my platys are happy?
Your fish are happy and healthy when they:Swim actively throughout the entire tank, not just hanging out or laying at the bottom, floating near the top or hiding behind plants and ornaments.Eat regularly and swim to the surface quickly at feeding time.More items...
How do you make platys happy?
Platies can live in a 10- to 20-gallon aquarium or larger. Most livebearers prefer higher pH, but platies can tolerate a very wide range from 6.8-8.5 in our experience. They also enjoy harder water, so if your tap water is especially soft, consider adding more minerals using Seachem Equilibrium or Wonder Shell.
How do you play with platys?
1:255:47Platy Fish Tank Mates - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo you'll definitely want to make sure to keep them in groups of six or more and to avoid damagingMoreSo you'll definitely want to make sure to keep them in groups of six or more and to avoid damaging the barbells. You'll also want to make sure that you avoid substrate with jagged edges.
How many platies Can I put in a 10 gallon tank?
A 10 gallon tank is big enough for a group of 5 adult platies to live in and enjoy a healthy habitat.
How many platies can go in a 30 gallon tank?
How Many Platies In A Tank?Size of the TankNumber of Platy Fish10 Gallon6 male, or 4 female20 Gallon13 male, or 8 female30 Gallon20 male, or 12 female40 Gallon26 male, or 16 female4 more rows•Aug 26, 2021
Do platys like current?
Platy can survive a good current, but the ones I have seem to thrive better when you can tame it down. Not familiar with the Top Fin 40, so not sure yet how you could tame the output.
How many platies should be kept together?
At least three to five platies should be kept together. Platy fish are shoaling fish. They may not form a close-knitted group like schooling fish, but they still seek safety and comfort in numbers. A small group of three to five platies will be a great starting point for beginner fishkeepers with limited space.
What Do Platy Fish Eat In The Wild?
Platy fish come from different habitats depending on the type of Platy fish. For example, some types are mostly found in rivers, while others live near ponds and lakes.
What Do Platy Fish Eat?
This question has plagued many pet owners, and it’s one of the most important parts of caring for your fish.
So, What Can You Feed Your Pet Platy Fish?
Before we get into what you can feed your pet platies, it’s important to understand that not all foods are safe for every fish. You should never give food to a fish if you aren’t 100% sure of its safety and nutritional value!
Live Food For Platy Fish
You can feed your pet Platy fish a variety of live foods like daphnia and earthworms. If you’re feeding them plants with the thought that they will eat algae or leftovers from other aquarium inhabitants’ diets, then keep in mind that these won’t provide enough nutrition for your fish unless you’re feeding them mostly plants.
Can You Give Commercial Food To Your Platy Fish?
Most commercial pet foods are not healthy for platies and usually contain fillers such as wheat, soy, or corn. Many of these filler ingredients can make your fish obese and sickly over time.
Homemade Food For Your Platy Fish
One way to ensure that you’re feeding your fish an optimal diet is to make their food yourself.
What Do Platy Fry Eat?
As soon as baby platies are born, they become interested in eating! As long as their parents aren’t too aggressive and you feed them enough brine shrimp nauplii (baby brine shrimp), your fry can eat right away.
What are the different types of platy fish?
What are the different platy fish types? New colors and patterns are constantly being produced, but some of the most popular varieties include Mickey Mouse, sunburst, red wag, blue, bumblebee, and green lantern platies. How big do platys get?
Where do platy fish live?
Platies are a popular livebearer in the freshwater aquarium hobby that are native to Mexico and Central America. The two species most commonly available in fish stores are Xiphophorus maculatus (southern platyfish) and Xiphophorus variatus (variable or variatus platy). They can crossbreed with each other and with swordtail species, ...
What temperature do platies need to be?
Most platies do well with temperatures from 70-82°F, but if your air conditioning is set on full blast, you may want to consider getting an aquarium heater. However, variatus platies are accustomed to living in cooler waters and do not require extra heating when kept at room temperature.
How many gals can a platy fish live in?
How Do You Set up a Platy Fish Tank? Platies can live in a 10- to 20-gallon aqua rium or larger. Most livebearers prefer higher pH, but platies can tolerate a very wide range from 6.8-8.5 in our experience.
How many babies do platies have?
In the right conditions, female platies can give birth to 20 to 50 babies per month.
How much does a platy fish cost?
How much do platy fish cost? Platies are relatively inexpensive and can be found at fish stores for $2 to $4 each, depending on the type.
How to keep fish water quality high?
To keep the water quality high, you can give the excess fish to your friends or donate them to a pet store. If you're interested in breeding fish for profit, consider selling the offspring to a local fish store.
How many fry can a platy fish eat?
Generally, females can have up to 80 fry.
What is a platy fish?
Platy fish are small, laterally flattened fish, with small short fins and a tail shaped like a fan. There have been many hybrids and variations cross-bred from the Southern and Variable Platy. Occasionally, the rarer Swordtail Platy has also been interbred to create more variations in colors and fin shapes.
Why is the swordtail Platy called the Spike Tail?
The Swordtail Platy still remains a rare specimen. This fish is also called the Spike Tail Platy, due to the shape of its fins. All Platies are hardy fish but have a relatively short life span.
What fish are interbred?
Nowadays, these fish are very common in the aquarium hobby and have been interbred to mix colors and fins shape. The Southern Platy and the Variable Platy are the most common species and have been interbred so much that now it’s difficult to distinguish between the different species.
What are the colors of a platy?
Platies colors vary a lot. A few popular colors are red, yellow, white, blue and green. Often, the different colorations were due to their natural habitat.
How big do Platy fish get?
There are small size differences between the different species. Female Southern Platy fish reach up to 2.5 inches while the Variable Platy reaches 3 inches. Males are always slightly smaller than the females.
What kind of fish are good companions for a tank?
Small peaceful fish are the perfect tank companions, especially with species that are loosely related such as Mollies, Guppies or Swordtails. They also get along well with other similar size and temperament fish such as Corydoras, Tetras, Characins, Gouramis, small peaceful barbs and obviously other Platy Fish.
What is platy fish?
The platy fish is a tropical freshwater fish and they come in many beautiful colors and sizes. The reason for their popularity is how easy they are to look after, but there’s a lot more to these amazing fish than meets the eye.
How much does a platy fish cost?
The platy fish is one of the cheapest fish to purchase though, costing between $2 to $4 depending on its size and color. As fast breeders, it might not take long to create even more of them, so there’s no need to purchase a large group unless this is what you intend for your tank setup.
How long do platy fish live?
With the right care, a platy fish should live between three to five years. Although easy to look after, they have a relatively short lifespan compared to other species, so this should be considered also when you’re planning out an aquarium and what type of fish you’ll keep.
How big do platy fish get?
The platy fish varies in size with the standard adult male growing to be around 1.5 inches and the female slightly larger at up to 2.5 inches. These fish are found native to North America and Central America, which only makes their popularity as aquarium staples even more substantial.
What is the best saltwater fish to have?
These colorful fish are not only easy to care for but they look great in a tank as well, so there should be nothing stopping you from adding some to yours. Platy fish are easily one of the best saltwater fish to own and they make great tank mates for so many other species.
Why do you need to fill a tank with platies?
Plants should be plentiful in an aquarium with platies as they help to filter the waste produced by the fish and provide ideal conditions for them to thrive.
What is the best fish to keep?
If you’re a newcomer aquarist and want the lowest maintenance fresh water fish to keep, there are some regarded as the best. Guppies, mollies, neon tetra, betta, angelfish, goldfish, and rainbowfish, are just some of the species that only require minimal care and are ideal for first-timers.
What are some good foods for platy juveniles?
Cultured live foods: A major benefit of these foods is that they’re rich in protein and highly nutritious for platy juveniles. Baby brine shrimp, microworms, vinegar eels, daphnia, etc.; Egg yolk paste: Take the yolk of a hard-boiled eggs and crush it into a paste.
What is a platy fish?
Platy fish are live-bearing fish that spawn fully-formed juveniles, which are able to swim and feed right away. They’re easy to breed and relatively hardy, however, they lack any parental instincts.
Why shouldn't you breed platy fry?
Because they’re very small when they’re born, platy fry are at a risk of being mistaken for food by adult fish. This is the reason why you shouldn’t breed platies in a community aquarium and set up a separate breeding tank, which you can manage much easier.
How many babies can a female platy fry release?
Aquarium Size. Platy juveniles are indeed small, but that doesn’t mean they should be kept in a small aquarium, especially that a female platy can release as many as 80 babies at a given time.
How are platy fish born?
How Platies Are Born? Platy fish reach reproductive age at 5-6 months of age. Unlike egg-layer fish, the female platy will carry the eggs in her belly and release the eggs only when they hatch, thus, giving birth to live fish.
How long do platys carry eggs?
On average, the female platy will carry the eggs for 24-30 days, but sometimes it can take a bit longer, especially if tank conditions aren’t suitable (e.g. the female platy is stressed out). Platies give birth to 20 to 80 juveniles at one time, so expect a significant boost in the population of your aquarium.
How long can you keep platys in a breeding box?
A breeding box is a temporary solution and you shouldn’t keep platy juveniles in it longer than 2 weeks. At the 2-weeks mark platy juveniles are large enough to no longer be mistaken for food and can be released into the main tank or placed into their own tank.
Platy Fish Facts & Overview
Appearance & Behavior
Platy Fish Care & Tank Requirements
- Platy fish are easy to care for because these fish are hardy and can tolerate most tank conditions. They do best in the company of their own kind and require a tank that simulates their natural habitat. Platy fish are omnivores and should be fed a varied diet of frozen and live foods, pellets, flakes, and vegetables.
Tank Mates
- Platy fish are peaceful and aren’t aggressive toward other fish, but there needs to be more females than males in the tank. Keep one male for every three female platy fish. Platy fish shouldn’t be housed with aggressive or fast-moving fish like bettas. The best tank mates for platy fish are peaceful, similar-sized species that won’t disturb the platy fish. These include: 1. Corydo…
Diet and Feeding
- Platy fish are omnivores. In the wild, platy fish eat algae, plant matter, small crustaceans, and insects. A vitamin-rich diet improves coloration in platy fish. Platies aren’t picky, but they do best on a diet mainly consisting of quality flake food and vegetables. Ideal vegetables include spinach, cucumber, and lettuce. Occasionally feed live and...
Breeding
- Platy fish are livebearersand are easy to breed. These fish breed readily when in ideal tank conditions. Platy fish can breed within a large community tank, as long as there’s dense vegetation or a breeding trap to protect the fry. Setting up a separate tank for the female platy fish to give birth ensures the fry stay safe and unharmed. Females produce new broods monthly. A g…
Should You Get A Platy Fish For Your Aquarium?
- Platy fish are docile, hardy fish that make wonderful additions to community tanks. You should get platy fish if you have a spacious tank that’s densely vegetated, with moderately hard, alkaline water. Tank mates must be peaceful and similar in size to platy fish. Long-finned platy fish varieties shouldn’t be kept with fin-nippers. Platy fish thrive with appropriate care and bring a spl…
Platy Fish FAQs